** However, she has all of her Pokémon knowing the move during the main battle.

** However, she has all of her Pokémon knowing the move during the main battle.

* In the anime, when Ash was battling Gardenia's {{p|Cherubi}}, he withdrew {{AP|Turtwig}} before he is hit. This occurred once before with [[Brawly]] of the [[Dewford Gym]], when {{AP|Treecko}} was going to be attacked and defeated by Machop.

* In the anime, when Ash was battling Gardenia's {{p|Cherubi}}, he withdrew {{AP|Turtwig}} before he is hit. This occurred once before with [[Brawly]] of the [[Dewford Gym]], when {{AP|Treecko}} was going to be attacked and defeated by Machop.

−

** Interestingly, both were the second Gyms in a region, and both Pokémon withdrew were the {{type|Grass}} {{p|Treecko|star}}{{p|Turtwig|ters}} of the region he was battling the Gym in.

+

** Interestingly, both were the second Gyms in a region, and both Pokémon withdrawn were the {{type|Grass}} {{p|Treecko|star}}{{p|Turtwig|ters}} of the region he was battling the Gym in.

* Gardenia is the only second Gym Leader in the series that uses a fully evolved stage three Pokémon. Misty and Lenora both have fully evolved Pokémon as well, though both are only stage two.

* Gardenia is the only second Gym Leader in the series that uses a fully evolved stage three Pokémon. Misty and Lenora both have fully evolved Pokémon as well, though both are only stage two.

In the games

Gardenia uses Grass-type Pokémon in her battles. For defeating her, Trainers receive the Forest Badge, TM86 (Grass Knot), and the ability to use Cut outside of battle. Gardenia likes to explore the Eterna Forest. Unlike most Gym Leaders, challengers are required to beat all of her students to challenge her.

She appears in front of the Old Chateau, to warn the player of the mysterious stories of hauntings surrounding it. She hints at herself being afraid of ghosts. Later, in Platinum, she will appear occasionally for rematches at the Battleground. She will also sometimes visit the Villa and will always arrive when the Houseplant is purchased. One of her lines of dialog at the Villa confirms her dislike of Ghost-types and she notes that she is worried about what would happen if there was a Grass/Ghost Pokémon.

"Hi! I'm Gardenia! I'm this town's Gym Leader! My last challenger was this awfully speedy young guy. ...Actually, his name was <rival>. He told me about you. He said that another challenger's on the way, so that made me antsy! At my Gym, no one gets to battle with the Gym Leader, me, until the end. The challenger has to beat all the other Gym Trainers first. I'll be waiting for you in the back, Trainer. Don't disappoint me!"

Before battle

"You kept me waiting! I'm Eterna's Gym Leader, Gardenia, the Grass-type master! When I first saw you, I was convinced you'd find your way to me. My hunch was right on the money. You have a winning aura about you. So, anyway, this will be fun. Let's have our battle."

After sending out last Pokémon

"It's not the end yet."

During battle

"Are you saying something? You think you have me cornered?"

When defeated

"Amazing! You're very good, aren't you?"

After being defeated

"I might've said it before, but you're really tough! Wasn't it hard for you to raise your Pokémon to be so good? I guess that's a measure of how much you love your Pokémon. In recognition of that, I proudly grant you this!"

"Yup! If there's one thing I can tell about you, it's this! You and your Pokémon are gonna get even tougher, and I mean seriously!"

"By the way... have you been to the Old Chateau? Me? Uh, well, you know, I have my Gym Leader job and all, so... Well, actually, I'm here training... I'm here just for fun... Ahahaha! Don't mind me!"

"Hiya! Were you intrigued by the rumors going around, too? You know, people've been talking about the ghost Pokémon of the Old Chateau. I've been hearing rumors about sinister shadows, too. I should check it out myself, but going in there is... ...Well, you know, being that I'm a Gym Leader, I'm always busy. So, since I'm so busy, I can't go in. It's not because I'm s-scared! S-so, good luck with your investigation!"

In the anime

Gardenia in the anime

Gardenia first appeared in The Grass-Type Is Always Greener. In this episode, she had a short battle with Ash, revealing to him that the Eterna City Gym Leader specialized in Grass Pokémon but not that it is her yet. She sent out Cherubi first, though she soon recalled it. She then sent out her own Turtwig, which defeated both Turtwig and Staravia.

Gardenia has an obsession with Grass Pokémon to the extent that she did not appear to be taking Team Rocket seriously due to her fascination with James's Carnivine and Cacnea. But she seems to get over this problem in A Secret Sphere of Influence!, when she battled the Team Rocket without any hesitation by sending her Turtwig out. She also reveals her rank as a Gym Leader in this episode.

Pokémon

This listing is of Gardenia's known Pokémon in the anime:

Cherubi

Gardenia's Cherubi was first seen in The Grass-Type Is Always Greener! when Gardenia used it to battle Ash's Turtwig in an unofficial battle. It displayed its high speed, however it emerged that Gardenia was just trying to get a read on Turtwig's abilities before she recalled it.

It later appeared during Ash and Gardenia's Gym battle during The Grass Menagerie!, where it was able to outspeed Turtwig's attacks using its high speed and forced Ash to recall it. It then went up against Staravia where Ash was able to blind it using the sunlight and then Staravia was able to knock it out.

Roserade was the final Pokémon used by Gardenia against Ash. It was able to easily knock out Turtwig using a Weather Ball powered by the bright sun. When it went up against Ash's Aipom, it was unable to keep up with the active Pokémon. It was eventually knocked out with a combination of Focus Punch and Swift.

Later in Once There Were Greenfields, after battling alongside James and Cacnea in a Tag Battle, Gardenia knew that Cacnea had the ability to learn Drain Punch, so offered to take on Cacnea to help it reach its full potential. After much soul searching James agreed and handed Cacnea over. Gardenia soon helped Cacnea master Drain Punch and she used it in a Gym battle against Barry where it proved to be a strong opponent.

Gardenia mentions that she has a Victreebel when she wanted to trade one of her Pokémon for James's Carnivine. Ironically, James had a Victreebel before, and Gardenia's mention of her own Victreebel brought him back memories of it.

In the manga

Gardenia made her debut when she took a walk in the Eterna Forest with her Cherubi and Roserade. She was enjoying the fresh air and the scent of the forest when she recognized the scent of Gastly in the forest. Following the scent, she met the trio (Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum). She called out to the group, only to be ignored by them. Becoming annoyed with their attitude, she had her Roserade use Grass Knot to get their attention. She was surprised to hear that the trio had been to Old Chateau and fought the Ghost Pokémon in the place. Gardenia was supposed to investigate the place as a Gym Leader, but apparently was scared of ghosts. Revealing that she is a Gym Leader, she challenged the trio to a Gym battle.

Gardenia was the second Gym Leader that Platinum had battled against, and the first to have a Double Battle against. Gardenia sent out Roserade and Cherubi against Platinum's Prinplup and Ponyta. To avoid ice and fire attacks, Gardenia and her Pokémon kept a great distance away from their challenger. But the distance didn't trouble them. Her Roserade used poisonous vines to attack, sending vines from the ground. This move easily knocked out Ponyta with a single shot. Cherubi on the other hand used Grass Knot. The attacks seemed to corner Prinplup, especially because after its evolution, Prinplup was prone to heavier damage from Grass Knot attacks. But the battle resulted as Platinum's victory, after she used the holes in the ground (made from Roserade's vines) to her advantage by having Prinplup blow a Blizzard into the holes. The holes led the ice move directly to Gardenia's two Pokémon, making them unable to battle. Recognizing her defeat, Gardenia gave Platinum the Forest Badge.

Pokémon

Cherubi

Roserade and Cherubi were both sent against Platinum in a Double Battle. Since the opponent's chosen Pokémon could use Fire and Ice attacks, Gardenia used the wide area of her plain grass Gym to not being hit by those type of attacks. As a distance-attack technique, Roserade used her poisonous vines under the arena, who defeated Ponyta and badly injured Prinplup. After being attacked by Cherubi's Grass Knot (which was more powerful upon Piplup's evolution, since her weight had increased), she used her Blizzard in the tunnels the vines had dug, to deliver an underground at distance attack.

Roserade and Cherubi were both sent against Platinum in a Double Battle. Since the opponent's chosen Pokémon could use Fire and Ice attacks, Gardenia used the wide area of her plain grass Gym to not being hit by those type of attacks. As a distance-attack technique, Roserade used her poisonous vines under the arena, who defeated Ponyta and badly injured Prinplup. After being attacked by Cherubi's Grass Knot, Prinplup used her Blizzard in the tunnels the vines had dug, to deliver an underground at distance attack, who defeated both.

Hareta first met Gardenia in Eterna Forest, both mistaking the other to be part of Team Galactic. After resolving their misunderstanding and learning that Gardenia was Eterna City's Gym Leader, Hareta asked Gardenia for a Gym battle but was promptly turned down, as Gardenia hadn't been impressed by Hareta's abilities so far. However after being attacked by Piplup she changed her mind and agreed to battle.

Pokémon

Cherubi

Cherubi was the first Pokémon Gardenia used in the Gym battle against Hareta. It went up against his Shinx and was able to put up a great fight as it was finished off with Shinx's Bite.

Roserade is Gardenia's strongest Pokémon. It was the third Pokémon used in the Gym battle. Using the combined power of Piplup and Misdreavus's Spite attack to stop Magical Leaf, Hareta was able to defeat Roserade and win the battle.

In the TCG

Gardenia's PokémonCards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.Cards listed with a silver background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.

Trivia

Gardenia is the only Sinnoh Gym Leader who does not have a Pokémon with their signature TMmove in the Battleground battles with her.

However, she has all of her Pokémon knowing the move during the main battle.

In the anime, when Ash was battling Gardenia's Cherubi, he withdrew Turtwig before he is hit. This occurred once before with Brawly of the Dewford Gym, when Treecko was going to be attacked and defeated by Machop.

Interestingly, both were the second Gyms in a region, and both Pokémon withdrawn were the Grass-typestarters of the region he was battling the Gym in.

Gardenia is the only second Gym Leader in the series that uses a fully evolved stage three Pokémon. Misty and Lenora both have fully evolved Pokémon as well, though both are only stage two.

Names

Language

Name

Origin

Japanese

ナタネ Natane

The Japanese name for the rapeseed plant. Its kanji can also be separated into 菜 na (vegetables) and 種 tane (seed).